Gaithersburg, MD
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The City presents the 2026 Young Artist Award, a juried competition open to vocal and instrumental soloists (woodwind, brass, string, piano), culminating in a concert featuring the top prize winners. The goal of the Young Artist Award program is to provide musicians ages 12 – 18 with an enriching artistic experience and encourage their love of music. For details, email yaa@gaithersburgMD.gov.
| Important Dates | |
|---|---|
| Registration Opens | Saturday, November 1, 2025 |
| Registration Closes | Sunday, December 14, 2025, 11:59 PM |
| Competition Date | Saturday, January 3, 2026 |
| Winners Notified | Sunday, January 4, 2026 |
| Winners’ Dress Rehearsal | Thursday, January 29, 2026, 6 - 10 PM |
| Winners’ Recital Performance | Friday, January 30, 2026, 6 - 10 PM |
Competition Results
| Place | Name |
|---|---|
| Grand Prize | Julian Chen (Piano) |
| First Place | Joyce Liu (Brass/Woodwinds) Julian Chen (Piano) Sofia Parra (Strings) Greta-Lee Dobie (Voice) |
| Second Place | Lucas Cho (Brass/Woodwinds) Derek Yang (Piano) Yuto Shimomura (Strings) Vianca Aliah M. Regachuelo (Voice) |
| Third Place | Hossein Islam (Brass/Woodwinds) Andrew Lin (Piano) Kanami Shimomura (Strings) Olivia Cho (Voice) |
| Honorable Mention |
Hannah Tang (Piano) Benjamin Whiting-Eisemann (Strings) Sophia Lee (Strings) Reva Tucker (Voice) Jadon Cho (Voice) |
Winners' Recital
Friday, January 30, 2026, 7:30- 10 PM
Arts Barn
Join us for the Young Artist Award Winners' Recital on Friday, January 30, at the Arts Barn. This inspiring event showcases live performances by the talented winners of this year’s Young Artist Award Competition in the categories of brass/woodwind, strings, vocal, and piano. Celebrate the achievements of these young musicians as they receive their awards and share their music with the community. Don't miss this evening of exceptional talent and musical excellence!
The Young Artist Award Competition is funded in part by a grant from the Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC). To discover more about MSAC grants & how they impact Maryland's arts sector, visit msac.org.